Below: On March 17, 2016, BBC News ran an interview with celebrity chef and public health campaigner Jamie Oliver, in which Oliver explains the importance of the sugar tax announced by the British Government.
Below: In March, 2016, Californians for Food and Beverage Choice released a video claiming that the sugar tax imposed on soft drinks in Mexico has not been as successful as its supporters claim.
Below: On April 3, 2012, ABC News ran a report on research conducted among schoolchildren in Sydney indicating their very high consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and the serious health consequences of this.
Below: In July 2014 News Loop Top News ran a report on proposals in Berkley and San Francisco, California to place a tax on soft drink (referred to here as 'soda'.
Web links, documents
Internet information
On March 25, 2016, The Spectator published a comment by Will Quince titled '10 reasons why the sugar tax is a terrible idea'
The opinion piece argues against the sugar tax recently announced in Great Britain. The full text can be accessed at http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/10-reasons-why-the-sugar-tax-is-a-terrible-idea/
On March 22, 2016, The Conversation published a comment by Elisa Pineda, a PhD student at University College London titled 'What the world can learn from Mexico's tax on sugar-sweetened drinks'. The opinion piece considers the public health crisis that led to the imposition of the tax, the manner in which it was imposed and the positive consequences.
The full text of this comment can be accessed at https://theconversation.com/what-the-world-can-learn-from-mexicos-tax-on-sugar-sweetened-drinks-56696
On March 18, 2016, The Conversation published an opinion piece by Isabelle Szmigin Professor of Marketing, University of Birmingham. The article is titled 'Sorry Jamie Oliver, I'd be surprised if sugar tax helped cut obesity' and it casts doubt on the probable effectiveness of Britain's sugar tax.
The full text of the article can be accessed at https://theconversation.com/sorry-jamie-oliver-id-be-surprised-if-sugar-tax-helped-cut-obesity-56471
On March 18, 2016, The Irish Times ran a news report titled 'Global examples feed arguments for and against sugar tax'. The article cites a range of instances from different countries where consumption taxes have had differing degrees of success as a means of altering citizens' eating patterns.
The full text of the article can be accessed at http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/global-examples-feed-arguments-for-and-against-sugar-tax-1.2579250
On March 18, 2016, the Victorian Government issued a media release titled 'Momentum grows for a sugar tax in Australia' The release supports the decision taken by the British Government and argues for a similar measure in Australia.
The full text of release can be found at https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/media-releases/sugar-tax
On March 17, 2016, The University of Sydney published the views of a range of its public health experts on the British government's announcement of a tax on sugar-sweetened soft drinks. The consensus is clearly in support of the action, though a number see it as a move that will need to be supported by other initiatives.
The full text can be accessed at http://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2016/03/17/university-of-sydney-experts-comment-on-the-uk-s-sugar-levy.html
On December 1, 2015, The Conversation published an opinion piece by Jane Martin, Executive Manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition; Senior Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne. The comment is titled 'Junk food advertisers put profits before children's health - and we let them'. It argues that Australia has done too little to regulate the advertising and sale of 'junk food' to children.
The full text of this article can be found at https://theconversation.com/junk-food-advertisers-put-profits-before-childrens-health-and-we-let-them-51250
On October 23, 2015, The Guardian published a news report and analysis titled 'Benefits of Mexican sugar tax disputed as congress approves cut'
The article looks at the recent decision of the Mexican Congress to halve the level of taxation on sodas with a sugar content of less than five grams per 100 millilitres.
The full text of this article can be found at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/22/benefits-of-mexican-sugar-tax-disputed-as-congress-approves-cut
On October 13, 2015, The Canberra Times ran a news report titled 'Sugar tax inevitable in Australia's fight against obesity, says public health researcher Boyd Swinburne'
The report details the recommendations of Boyd Swinburne, professor of population nutrition and global health at the University of Auckland and director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention. Professor Swinburne advocates a sugar tax; however, he also argues for a concerted, systemic attack on obesity, involving 'all government departments such as agriculture, urban planning, transport and education.'
The full news report can be accessed at http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/sugar-tax-inevitable-in-australias-fight-against-obesity-says-public-health-researcher-boyd-swinburn-20151013-gk7ryw.html
In 2015 The Australian Beverages Council published its 'White Paper' titled 'Why a soft drink tax is not the answer'
The document raises a series of arguments against the imposition of a special tax on sugar-sweetened soft drinks manufactured in or imported into Australia.
The full text of this document can be accessed at http://www.fooddrinktax.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ABC-White-Paper.pdf
In November, 2014, Rethink Sugary Drink issued a press release congratulating Berkeley, California, for becoming the first United States city to approve a tax on sugary drinks and suggesting Australia should also investigate a similar tactic. The media release is titled 'Leading health experts applaud US for tax on soft drinks'.
Rethink Sugary Drink is a partnership between twelve Australian health and community organisations.
The full text of the release can be found at http://www.rethinksugarydrink.org.au/media/health-experts-applaud-us-tax-on-soft-drinks.html
In 2013 the lobby group Reject Needless Tax published a media release on their Internet site titled 'Education not tax'. The article argues for the effectiveness of education as a public health measure over taxation as a means of moderating popular food preferences.
The site is sponsored by UNESDA, representing the non-alcoholic beverages industry in Europe.
This document can be accessed at http://www.fooddrinktax.eu/education-not-tax/
